Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 424 - Volume 17, New Series, February 14, 1852 by Various
page 34 of 70 (48%)
page 34 of 70 (48%)
|
inspect his friend's normal classes. He was so much delighted with
them, and considered Dr Mainzer so little appreciated by the general public, that he persuaded him to try Manchester as his future field of exertion. In the autumn of 1848, accordingly, Neukomm introduced Mainzer to the leading men of that city, who received him so cordially, that he at once took his proper position, and entered on a career both useful and profitable, and which continued to be increasingly successful, until at Christmas 1850, he was laid aside by ill-health. Over-exertion had brought on a complication of diseases, to which he was a martyr for ten months, and which terminated fatally on the 10th November 1851. During that long period of intense suffering, his active mind was never clouded nor repining, and at every interval of comparative ease, he read or listened to reading with avidity. During the first months of his illness, he superintended the publication of a new musical work, called _The Orpheon_, two numbers of which appeared; and his last exertion in this way was arranging two songs: _The Sigh_ of Charles Swain, and Longfellow's _Footsteps of Angels_, adapted to Weber's last song. Prophetic requiems both! A few weeks after his death, the hall which had been built in Edinburgh for the classes of the Association which he founded, was opened by an amateur concert given as a tribute to his memory. He had promised to preside on this occasion; but his place was filled by his aged, but still vigorous friend, the Chevalier Neukomm, who had come to Edinburgh, at the request of the Association, to compose a series of psalms, one of which was sung by the pupils. Music for the Psalms, _adapted to the varying meaning of each verse_, has hitherto been a desideratum in the musical world; now being supplied in Chevalier |
|